Modelling CPV silicon solar cells under inhomogeneous irradiation

Abstract

Concentration Photovoltaic (CPV) systems usually exhibit inhomogeneous illumination profiles along their receiver and even on the cells themselves. The illumination profile that reaches the cell will set specific current distributions and temperatures on the device thus modifying its I-V curve. Such effect is weakly reproduced by the conventional lumped models which treat, jointly, all ohmic losses. In this paper we focus on the development of a model to predict the cells response under such inhomogeneous profiles by taking into account the 'distributed diode effect'. Comparison between experimental and model results show good agreement for different temperatures and illumination profiles. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.